


Not So Bad

by annablack1102



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Christmas fic, F/M, Fluff, Language, Late as fuck, Negan Being Negan, Negan and his big ass mouth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-28 22:37:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17796053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annablack1102/pseuds/annablack1102
Summary: You haven’t been in the holiday spirit this year but your neighbor insists on blasting Christmas music.





	Not So Bad

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all, so this is late, I know. I didn't realize I never published it on here but it was on my tumblr. I wrote this for a fic exchange I created that turned out pretty damn successful. So much in fact that I just finished up another on Valentine's Day. People signed up, wrote their fics, and gifted it to someone else who signed up. Kinda like a secret santa for fanfiction. If you're interested in reading the rest, find my masterlist on my tumblr's bio. Same username as on here. 
> 
> Enjoy this little fluffy Christmas piece in February...

It started seven months ago when you moved in. 

First you had to endure the annoying way your neighbor above you stomped around his apartment like an elephant. You often wondered if he was some kind of giant. Then came the loud music during the day, sometimes even playing through the night. You tried to reason that at least it was good music, a mix of classic rock and the occasional jazz. You even, of course, had to endure the sex. 

Whoever this guy was, he seemed to know what he was doing at least. The women that came through always sounded satisfied, maybe even a little over enthusiastic. But maybe that was you own bitterness over the dry spell you’d had since you moved to the new town in Virginia. 

You’d complained, of course, to the super about it. But somehow he’d charmed his way out of it every single time. She just adored the man upstairs. Even went so far as to tell you once that maybe you should look into getting ear plugs if it bugs you so much. 

You would have complained to the man himself but you weren’t exactly confrontational. You were the type of person that wouldn’t even send back your food if they got it wrong because you didn’t want to have to tell them as much. You didn’t complain about long lines at the grocery store, or even honk at people as they cut you off. You just weren’t that person. 

But when the bastard started playing Christmas music on a loop, things changed a little bit. 

You chalked it up to being homesick, but the holidays just weren’t doing it much for you this year. In fact, you’d like to avoid the thought of them as much as possible. Obviously that wasn’t exactly easy what with all the twinkling lights and the Christmas trees and the goddamn Christmas music that seemed to be coming from everywhere. 

You thought, at least, in your own home you could be safe. You could leave your walls bare and watch Netflix without commercials over what to buy your sweetheart or your mom. You could toss the few Christmas cards you received into the junk drawer in your kitchen without displaying them because who cares?

But what you apparently couldn’t avoid was the goddamn Christmas music. 

You really should have seen it coming, but you’d been enjoying your little safe haven too much that you hadn’t even considered your neighbor from hell ruining it all. You glared up at the ceiling each day as it grated on your nerves more and more. How a person could be so jolly and inconsiderate, you’d never know. 

It was on the fourth day, after your third glass of red wine and a fairly long day at work dealing with a boss you hated, when you decided to finally give him a piece of your mind. It’d been seven months of putting up with his bullshit. Seven. And you were done. 

You had no trouble finding his apartment. Even if you weren’t smart enough to figure out that he’d be the thirty-seven over your twenty-seven, you could hear Jingle Bell Rock playing through the door. You knock timidly a few times, waiting in quiet rage. But when that didn’t work, you glared at the door, balled up your fist and…

Bang bang bang… 

It only took a few moments after that, but the door opened. You opened your mouth in the same moment to tell that asshole off, but the words died in your throat. 

Of course, he’d be gorgeous. You really hadn’t been expecting any different. Between the way he had the super wrapped around his finger and the various women parading through his apartment, you knew he had to be a looker. You just didn’t expect that you yourself would be so instantly attracted to him. 

You had a very specific taste in men, one that was both a blessing and a curse. You had a thing for older men, generally greying a bit, taller than you was a must, and he had to have that whole alpha male thing going on. You hated to say that he fit the bill all too well. 

“Can I help you, darlin’?” He asked and you inwardly sighed. 

Even his voice was to die for. 

“I uh… Your.. uh.. “ You gestured vaguely towards his apartment, but judging from the blank look and quirked eyebrow he wasn’t quite getting it. “Your music.” 

“What about it?” He asked, in a tone that could only be described as stern but he held the beginnings of a smirk on his lips that told you the whole situation amused him. So, of course, your face heated up. 

“It’s loud.” You stated, crossing your arms over your chest. 

A grin spread across his face and he opened the door a little wider, leaning on the door frame as he looked at you. 

“You must be her, huh? The annoying little neighbor that keeps bitchin’ bout my music and shit.” He said without any shame, the dimples in his cheeks prominent as he chuckled. “Well, shit, darlin’... all you had to do was come say hello.” 

He said it teasingly and you scowled at him, annoyed by his cocky demeanor. He may have been attractive as hell but that didn’t make him any less irritating. You were suddenly reminded of all the times he’d been inconsiderate and you huffed. 

“Can you please just turn it down? Or at least play something good if you insist on blasting it for all to hear?” 

The man huffed a laugh. “The fuck you got against Christmas music? Tis the season and all that.” He grinned, running his tongue over his top row of teeth. 

“Yeah well… I’m not really feeling the holiday spirit this year.” You said, rolling your eyes. 

 

“Why the fuck not?” He asked and you wondered if he swore so much all the time. 

“I don’t know…” You felt weird about giving this man, this basic stranger that has managed to become a thorn in your side without even meeting him up ‘til now, your life story. It felt like you were looking for attention, or someone to complain and whine too. You generally didn’t like unloading on people, or being a burden in some way, but he looked at you expectantly so you sighed and went on. “It’s my first year in Virginia and my first year without my family for Christmas. We usually do all the big traditions. You know, gingerbread houses, secret santa, ugly sweaters… and this year I’m in a different state and I can’t be there.”

“You couldn’t just fly out?” He asked as if that were obvious. 

“I tried. But my boss said no one gets the holidays off. We’re too busy right now and he made no exceptions. Especially for someone like me so low on the totem pole.” You sighed and he actually looked sympathetic. 

“Well, your boss sounds like a dick, but I guess that’s how it fuckin’ goes right.” He said and pulled out his phone. He pressed a couple buttons and suddenly the music got a little quieter. “Look, I know you think I’m an annoying prick and all that but… shit, I got eggnog and Christmas cookies to decorate. You’re more than welcome to join me.” He offered and your eyebrows rose in surprise. 

“You...what? Why?” You asked as if that was a crazy idea.

“Well, I can’t replace all the fuckin’ family traditions and shit, but it’s better than sittin’ alone, right?” 

“Oh! I don’t...I don’t want to impose or anything…”

 

“You’re not. I fuckin’ offered.” He said and nodded his head for you to follow him inside, as if it;d been decided. “Nice pjs by the way.” He added with a grin and you dropped your head in shame as you realized you were still wearing the ones with paw prints all over the pants. “You got a dog?”

“A cat. The super said no to dogs because they bark. Apparently she didn’t want to inconvenience the other tenants.” You said, giving him a pointed look. He merely grinned in response. 

“C’mon, let me get you somethin’ to drink.” He led you through to the kitchen, glancing over his shoulder. “I’m Negan, by the way.” 

“Oh. Good to put a name to the face finally.” You said and looked over the counters. There were all kinds of cookies spread out on racks along the counter. “Wow… that’s a lot of cookies.” 

“Yeah, I got roped into some PTA shit at school so I’ve spent the day fuckin’ bakin’ cookies.” Negan said with a laugh.

“PTA? Do you have children?” You asked curiously, glancing around the space that definitely screamed bachelor pad. 

“Nah, none of my own anyways. I teach gym at the middle school.” Negan explained and got her a glass of eggnog before getting back to it. 

“You’re a teacher?” Your eyes widened at that piece of unexpected information. 

“Why do you sound so surprised?” He grinned, an icing bag in hand. 

“I don’t know… Maybe because I’ve lost count of how many ‘fucks” you’ve blurted out since we met.” 

Negan was amused by that, shaking his head. “Yeah, well… I reel it in at the school at least. Mostly.” He winked at you and you couldn’t help but swoon a little bit. 

He put you to work with a bag of icing and you watched him for a moment, surprised again by how good he was at it. You felt sort of inadequate as you tried to mimics his designs before eventually giving up and doing whatever you wanted with them. 

Eventually, he turned the music up a bit and started singing along, though not in an obnoxious way. It was more like an automatic response to hearing a song everyone had heard a zillion times over the years. You thought it was kind of cute, which was not ever something you imagined thinking about you’re intolerable upstairs neighbor. 

You tried focusing your attention on the cookie decorating, rather than getting distracted by his alluring voice and breathtaking good looks. You found pretty quickly that you weren’t very good at it and your face scrunched up in frustration as you got the icing all over your fingers. You licked it off every so often until you heard the man laugh.

“Well shit look at you, darlin’.” Negan grinned and you looked at the mess you’d made of your cookie. “You’re a natural.” He teased with a grin, obviously making fun of your cookie decorating skills. 

“Sorry, I guess no one will want these ones, huh?” You smiled sheepishly and he chuckled. 

“Well, the way I see it, it still tastes pretty fuckin’ awesome so who cares what it looks like.” Negan smirked at you and tilted his head to the side as he looked at you. “You’ve got a little somethin’...” He gestured to the side of your lips and you wiped. He shook his head and you tried again with no luck. “Here, let me…” 

You froze as he gripped your chin in his hand and angled your face to his liking. You thought for a second he was going to kiss you, but he merely swiped his thumb over your bottom lip and pulled away, sucking it into his own mouth. 

“Try and keep it on the cookies next time.” Negan winked and you both went back to decorating.

You ended up spending the rest of the evening getting to know your not-so-terrible neighbor and he spent the evening doing what he could to make you smile.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Don't forget to comment and send kudos cause I'm a writer and I live off that shit. Also, find me on tumblr @annablack1102 for more content!


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